Recovery Position Indication — ORE Part 1 MCQ

Correct answer: E — Lateral recovery position

**A. Lateral recovery position** is correct. An unconscious person who is breathing normally should be placed in the recovery position. This side-lying position helps maintain an open airway and permits vomit or secretions to drain, reducing the risk of airway obstruction or choking. The patient should continue to be monitored while emergency help is arranged. Supine positioning with leg elevation may be appropriate for a fainted patient once consciousness returns, but it does not provide airway protection in an unconscious patient. Sitting upright is unsuitable because the patient cannot support or protect their airway. Prone positioning may obstruct the airway and prevents observation. A left lateral tilt is specifically used in late pregnancy to reduce aortocaval compression; it is not the standard recovery-position manoeuvre.

Reference: NHS. First aid – Recovery position. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/first-aid/recovery-position/